Lancaster pub landlord’s pride as he praises his team after visit by Masterchef and The One Show food critic Jay Rayner

The Lancaster Guardian reported earlier this month how The Merchants had won a rave review from Masterchef and The One Show food critic Jay Rayner.

Now Tim Tomlinson, chair of the local Pubwatch scheme and landlord of the Merchants, White Cross and Stonewell Tap, has spoken to the Lancaster Guardian about just how much it has meant to his team to receive such high praise.

"His review of the food was as good as we could have ever hoped for,” said Tim.

"At Merchants 1688 it has always been our aim to offer upper-end pub food but over the last 12 months we have taken this goal upwards several notches.”

Earlier this year The Castle Hill pub’s head chef Will Graham spent a week working at TV chef Tom Kerridge’s 2 Michelin star restaurant, The Hand and Flowers in Marlow, to hone his skills and techniques.

Tim said: “Our nine-course taster menu evenings started as a chance to showcase our chef’s skills and has now become the pinnacle of our dining calendar, and we are hoping to gain our fist AA rosettes in 2024.”

Then, on a quiet November lunchtime, the pub received an unannounced visit from probably the UK’s most famous and feared food critic, Jay Rayner. He was recognised by a staff member and seemed to enjoy his meal, but the staff had no idea what he would write in his review until it was published in the Observer magazine on December 3.

"He was clearly not that impressed by our website which is now undergoing a sparkle but his review of the food was as good as we could have ever hoped for,” said Tim.

"Not least that he said his venison main course was ‘simply one of the best presentations… I’ve eaten in many years’. And that ‘had I been served it on MasterChef: The Professionals, I would have proclaimed pompously that it was like being introduced to a major talent’. Strong words of which we are massively proud.

“All this has been driven by the powerful teamwork of general manager Leanne Moore constantly refining the front of house service and the vision, passion and skills of head chef Will Graham.

“Merchants 1688 is just one of a handful of excellent independent restaurants that anyone looking to eat out in Lancaster can choose from. Lancaster has long been known regionally as a great city to visit to visit for its pubs and ale and now that its reputation for food is gaining national recognition, we at Merchants 1688 are very proud to be at the heart of this amazing culinary community.”

Read the full review online here